Hard to believe that summer vacation is less than two months away for many kids. What is a mom or dad to do especially if you can’t always go out for a play date, travel on a plane, or attend camp? We are sharing 10 unique activities for both indoors and outdoors to help keep the kids or even just one kid preoccupied! (*this post contains affiliate links)
INDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
- Put the kids on a summer reading program with a goal of reading a set number of books. Make this a daily part of your summer dedicating at least 25-30 minutes to reading.
- Have a science project or lab experiment kit that will entail at least an hour of assembly, experimentation, and observation. Think magnetic levitation, growing crystals, and hydroponics.
- Play educational board games that promote math and verbal skills. Some great examples of games include Scrabble, Monopoly, and the Allowance Game. Kids also love playing simple card games with math facts and spelling.
- Go on a “road” trip from home! Borrow or buy books about places you’d like to visit such as famous landmarks and national parks. Mark them on a map and read about each place. There are many documentaries that you can have the kids watch based on a specific place.
- Make lunchtime an interactive one with getting the kids involved in assembling their own meal. This can be anchored on a lesson in nutrition and making healthy meal choices. Pizzas, tacos, and pasta salads are wonderful easy options to make with the kids.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
- If you are lucky enough to have a spacious backyard, installing an outdoor play set would be a fabulous idea when you need some time to take care of daily chores around the house. Having the kids outside all in one place also ensure that you know exactly where they are!
- Play outdoor water games that don’t require having a pool. Some examples include the famous Slip N’ Slide game, water balloons, and water blasters.
- An afternoon of shooting the hoops should get your child excited with this adjustable hoop stand via Amazon.
- Go backyard fishing with your own creative game or buy one that is readymade via Amazon. Perfect for the little ones who aren’t old enough for more physical water activities.
- Go crazy with the water hose! You can get really innovative here with playing tag to the limbo. No need to buy equipment!